Campus program offers financial guidance for students

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An on-campus program focused on teaching students money management skills. From student loans to budgeting this program is dedicated to helping Buffs learn financial independence.

Buff Smart is an on-campus program that started in August 2017. The program focuses on giving students the ability to acquire financial knowledge.

“Our main goal with Buff Smart is to give student tools and resources to help them manage their money effectively that way they graduate with as little debt as possible,” Meghan Williams said, who is a Buff Smart Coordinator.

One way that Buff Smart has promoted itself is through their classroom presentations. For these, professors have Buff Smart come into their classroom to talk about topics such as student loan debts, credit cards, and budgeting.

“We’ve had several students that have seen our classroom presentations and then come in they come in for a one-on-one coaching session,” Williams said. “They get to thinking, how can I be different, how can I make sure I can pay off my student that I’ve taken out before I graduate.”

The main resource that the organization offers to students are the one-on-one peer coaching sessions. These meetings are completely confidential. This is when a student can schedule a time to meet individually with a peer financial coach.

“We like to talk to each buff separately because every buff has their own path,” said senior business law major and peer financial coach, Joseph Cannon.

Peer financial coaches are students are WT that have been trained to help other students with financial situations. They also work closely with what Buff Smart does and teaches.

“They are the ones that are creating the presentations and the one-on-one coaching sessions and the curriculum that goes into that,” Williams said.

This semester Buff Smart is hosting a six-week course that started Feb. 14th. The course is based on the book “5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College” Written by Anthony Oneal and Rachel Cruze.

“It just basically goes over loans, credit cards, having a plan for future, budgeting, all that good stuff. All the basic stuff you need to know to manage your money,” Williams said.

Each week focus on a certain chapter within the book. Students who have attended each 6 of the events will be placed in a drawing for a scholarship.

“It does take some hard work and it takes some discipline and so I hope that students can realize that and want to put In the work,” said peer financial coach and junior Bachelor of Business Administration, Stephen Coffey.

To learn more about Buff Smart or schedule a peer coaching session email [email protected] or visit their office at the Classroom Center.

“We are not a fast fix, but we will help them and give them those tools and resources so that they can go on and be successful,” Williams said.